born Aug. 3, 1753, London, Eng.
died Dec. 15, 1816, Chevening, Kent
English politician and inventor.
A member of the House of Commons (1780–86), where he was known as Lord Mahon until inheriting his father's title, he became chairman of the Revolution Society and favoured parliamentary reform. He sympathized with the French republicans and opposed Britain's war with Revolutionary France. He was also an experimental scientist and invented calculating machines, a printing press and a microscope lens named for him, a stereotyping machine, and a steam carriage.